Instead, I allow him to take me around his surprisingly spacious backyard, stopping at every group so he can introduce me as “his date, the NASA flight surgeon.” I don’t know whether to be embarrassed, amused or honored.
I do feel happy just being by his side, but that’s something I’ll study later.
A group of kids run up to us, chasing a golden retriever.
“Whoa there!” Ryan intercepts the kids before they can run by. “Are you hounding Old Man River?”
“Aw, Ryan,” one of the boys shouts. “We were just playing.”
“I know, but River isn’t a pup. Instead of playing chase why don’t you guys give him some belly rubs?”
“Listen up!” a young girl with blond curls says. “I’m the vet and River is my patient. You can be my assistants.” Then they all take off to ‘take care’ of the dog.
“I bet that’s what you were like when you were little.”
I concede with a tilt of my head. “You’re not far off.”
His chuckle sets off butterflies in my belly.
“Is he yours?” I ask, gesturing to the dog, now lazing on his back while the kids pet him, and the little girl pretends to be reading off his medical chart. Apparently, his diagnosis is a bruised heart. She prescribes more hugs.
“Yeah. I’ve had Riv since he was a pup, but he’s getting on now.”
“He’s adorable.” One of the kids sits down and accidentally lands on his tail. River doesn’t even twitch. “And great with kids.”
“Thanks.” He ushers me to a table. “Here, I’ll grab you a plate.”
“You don’t have to—”
But he waves me off, striding over to the long, fold-out table piled with salads, side dishes and barbecue. The man from the other day, the one who wore the badge on his shirt, is manning the grill. He waves the tongs at me when he catches my eye.
“That’s Tom, the station chief.” A woman about my age sits down next to me.
“Yes. I saw him on site the other day.”
She gives me a questioning look.
“That’s where I meant Ryan. A section of the building I work on at NASA caught fire. He and the rest of the station came on site to put it out.”
“Oh. Yeah, Rich was all over that when he came home that day. Like a kid in a candy shop talking about getting to go to NASA. Luckily, it was a small fire and no real damage was done.” She looks over at the group of kids still playing with River. “Devon, you be nice to your brother!”
The boy in question looks a bit guilty and helps a younger boy to his feet.
“I swear those boys will be the death of me.” But she’s smiling as she says it and my heart hurts.
I want that.
“I’m Ana, by the way.” She holds out a nicely manicured hand and I put my own, with my short, plain, filed nails in hers to shake.
“Nice to meet you, I’m—”
“Rebecca, I know.” She gives me a guilty grin. “Ryan told everyone you were coming. He said you wanted help with a calendar for an animal rescue?”
“Ah, yeah. Space City Animal Shelter.”
“That’s so lovely.” She looks over her shoulder at the boys and then leans in conspiratorially. “We’re thinking of getting the boys a dog for Christmas. Rich thought to go purebred, but when Ryan mentioned the shelter and all the dogs that need homes, it just makes more sense. It was like it was meant to be.”
“That would be so great.” I look at Ryan, who seems to be in some sort of mock argument with Tom, the chief, over the grill. He looks up, finds me staring and winks.
I look back at Ana, trying not to blush.
“I also knew your name because Rich says Ryan hasn’t stopped talking about you.”
There goes the blush. Ana’s smile is wide and genuine and not an ounce of censure can be found in her expression.
“I am a bit older; you know,” I can’t help but add.
“So? Who cares?” She waves away my concern with a flourish of her ladylike hands. “Men have been doing it for years. It’s the year of the woman. Down with the patriarch!” She laughs, and I can’t help but laugh along with her.
“Besides,” she continues, “Ryan is an old soul. Never wanting to date around, heck he’s never brought anyone to a picnic in the four years he’s been here.”
“Really?” I’m absurdly happy over that little fact.
“Really.” She reaches over and squeezes my hand.
Devon and the little boy break out into a wrestling match, making Ana sigh. “I better go take care of that before someone—” The little one starts crying, holding his arm. “Too late, it would seem.” She gets up and brushes down her long skirt. “I better throw down some mothering. I’ll catch you later, Rebecca.” She walks over, hands on hips, and starts tearing into her two boys. A few seconds later a man, who must be her husband Rich, comes up next to her, crossing his arms over his chest and staring down hard at his older boy. In a moment, the two parents have a sorrowful Devon apologizing to his younger brother. Hugging it out, the boys run off to play like nothing happened while Ana and Rich share an exasperated, loving look that hits me right in the feels.
I want that.
“Here you go.”
I jump, Ryan startling me out of my daydream. “Thanks.” In front of me is not one, but two plates, full of everything from corn on the cob, drumsticks, cole slaw, rubs and potatoes piled up between the two. “This isn’t all for me, is it?”
He shrugs. “I didn’t know what you wanted, and Tom kept telling me you needed both chicken and ribs to get the full culinary experience, or some crap, so to get away before we both starve to death, I agreed and loaded up the plates.” He plucks a roasted potato off one plate with his fingers. “We can share.”
I smack his hand away. “Get your own plate. I want the whole culinary experience.”
Tom laughs from across the way, pointing his tongs at me. “I knew I’d like you.”
“Yeah, yeah. Get your own woman,” Ryan shouts backs, smiling.
“Please,” an older woman in jeans and a sweater says from another picnic table just a few feet away. “You can have him!”
Everyone laughs.
Ryan tilts his head at the woman. “That’s Tom’s wife, Mary.”
Looking around, everyone is smiling, happy, having a good time together. It reminds me of those family picnics my friend invited me to when I was younger.
My heart catches on that word: family.
“So are you sure you don’t want to share?” He gives me sad puppy dogs eyes that are ridiculously effective.
“Fine.” I nudge him with my shoulder. “I’ll share.”
He’s about to grab the chicken leg when a baby’s cry rings out. Looking up, we both see a pretty, young blonde shuffle through the back door, baby in one hand, ungainly diaper bag in the other.
Ryan hops up, jogging over to the woman, reminding me of how eager he seemed when he met me outside. The woman blows a strand of hair out of her face, smiling up at Ryan while he takes the baby, letting her hitch the diaper bag higher on her shoulder.
Ryan’s big hands nestle the baby across his chest, the fuzzy infant head resting on his large shoulder.
Annnnnnd my ovaries explode.
Medically, I know that’s not a thing. But right now, the sparks in my baby-maker feel very real.
Ryan takes the diaper bag from her as well, even when the blonde protests and rolls her eyes. He wins in the end, carrying both bag and baby, leading them my way.
“Hi!” the blonde says, her voice perky and somehow familiar.
“Hi.” I pretend not to feel the need to smack the smile off her face when Ryan drops the diaper bag on a chair and wraps his free arm around her shoulder.
“This is my sister, Cammie.” Ryan gives the girl a squeeze and then shifts the baby around so I can see its cute, chubby face. “And this is my nephew, Adam.”
I’m up, my finger tracing the baby’s brow, falling in love in an instant
. “He’s so beautiful.”
“Thank you,” his sister says, leaning on her brother’s arm to look at her son.
Suddenly, it clicks.
“Wait. Did you say Cammie?”
Six
Detonation
Ryan
“You sure you don’t need help cleaning up, Ryan?”
Ana is the third person to ask me that, and I’m quickly losing my well-honed patience.
“No, I’m good.” I motion to Rich, who’s carrying both kids, one over each shoulder. “You take your boys home and put them to bed. I got it.”
Rich saunters over. “Yeah, woman. Put me to bed!”
One exaggerated eyeroll later and the last of the picnic crowd leaves.
Thank God.
For the past thirty minutes, people been packing up and saying their good-byes. I had to basically attach myself to Rebecca’s hip to make sure she didn’t try and sneak off with the crowd.
I needn’t have bothered though. As soon as Cammie left, and Becca got full hold of my nephew, she never moved. Her expression softened, like it had at the shelter with the animals. Turns out the doctor is a sucker for puppies and babies. I can work with that.
Sitting at the table all night, she fit right in with my friends. She’d even laughed when Cammie told her how I’d called her at work and begged her to send any calls about a firefighter and shelter calendar my way.
I wouldn’t have used the word beg, but I guess it isn’t far from the truth.
And that was just the start of the ribbing I took tonight. Rich and the boys piled it on, telling her how I strutted around after I got her number, then sulked like a baby when I realized it was fake. They all laughed and fist-bumped her for that one.
Walking back through the house, I make sure River has fresh water and place a bottle of formula in the bottle warmer I have plugged in on my counter. The screen door opens, and I turn to see Rebecca, arms full of baby.
“I think this one needs a diaper change.”
“Oh, here, I’ll do it.” I reach for my nephew, but Rebecca sidesteps me, holding him closer.
“No, no. I got it.”
I chuckle at her possessiveness. “Okay, well, the changing station is in the laundry room.” I point to the door off the kitchen.
“You have a changing station here?” The bottle warmer beeps. “And a bottle warmer?”
“Yeah, I watch Adam a lot.” I tickle my nephew under his chin, causing spit bubbles to pop as he giggles. “We’re having a sleepover tonight, aren’t we, little man?”
He giggles some more. When I look to share the happy moment with Rebecca, my breath catches. For once, she isn’t looking at the baby; she’s looking at me. Her bottom lip is pulled under her teeth and her breath seems to be coming faster. I’m not a doctor, but with how blown her pupils are, I’m pretty confident she’s turned on.
I’m not sure what I did to cause it, but I’m not wasting the opportunity. With my free hand, I tilt her head up, her midnight hair falling farther down her back. I take a moment to slide my fingers along her scalp, letting the silky strands brush along my skin. Her almond-shaped eyes flutter as I lean closer, her tongue peeking out to lick her full lips. My breath matches the rapid pace of hers and we haven’t even kissed yet.
Slowly, wanting to savor this moment, a moment I know deep inside that I’ll remember for the rest of my life, I lean down, my lips barely grazing—
Pffffrt? Adam giggles, looking quite pleased with himself.
“Did he just—”
A loud gurgling cuts me off, followed by what I can only image is the sound of two tons of shit falling into his diaper.
“Whoa, dude.” I catch Rebecca’s eye. She’s biting her lip again, but this time to hold in laughter.
Then the smell hits us.
“Holy shit. That is rank!”
“I don’t think there is anything holy about it.” Rebecca loses the fight, laughing. “I better go change him.”
“Oh, no. I refuse to let you take on the shitstorm he just let loose.” I hold out my hands. “Give ‘em here.”
It’s a testament to how much she loves babies that even with a diaper full of crap, she’s reluctant to give him up.
She follows me into the laundry room, where Adam’s changing pad and stack of diapers is set up on the dryer. The next five minutes are spent trying in vain to hold my breath, not gag and be quick enough that Adam doesn’t start to fuss. All the while, Rebecca looks at me like she wants to simultaneously jump my bones and push me aside to take over.
It’s a confusing five minutes.
“There we go, buddy.” I heft Adam onto my shoulder and shove ten pounds worth of poop, diaper and wipes into the diaper genie, then toss his soiled onesie in the sink to wash out later. “Could you hold him while I wash my hands?”
She reaches out, but instead of cradling him close, keeps her arms outstretched.
“What’s the matter?”
“Uh, nothing. It’s just…” She glances down at a large brown stain on her white blouse.
“Shit.”
She laughs. “Yeah. Literally.”
Quickly, I wash my hands and take Adam back. “I’m so sorry.”
“Really, it’s okay. I’m a doctor. This stuff doesn’t faze me.”
“Well, even so. No one likes to be shit on.” I reach for the stack of clean laundry I have on the washer, pulling out one of my HFD T-shirts. “Here, wear this. I can wash your shirt.”
“That isn’t necessary. I can just head home.”
“Oh no you don’t.” I thrust the shirt out until she takes it. “You have to change because Adam here needs his nightly walk. And I’m pretty sure he’s in love with you and wants you to come with.”
“He is, is he?”
“Yep. That’s the only reason I can think he cock-blocked me so well out in the kitchen. Little man wants you all to himself.”
“He loves me so much he pooped on me?”
“I didn’t say he was a genius. The dude is only six months old, after all.”
She laughs but takes the shirt. “Okay. I’ll change.”
I leave her to it, trying not to think of her half naked only a room away.
Adam fusses in my arms, letting me know he’s done waiting for his bottle.
I check the temperature of the formula and cradle Adam in my arms. He attacks the nipple like a starving man.
“I feel ya, bud.”
Rebecca
“I love your neighborhood.”
“Thanks. I got lucky when I found the house on a foreclosure list. It still needs a lot of work, but you can’t beat the location or the yard.”
“It’s great.” I scan the street, Christmas lights outlining rooftops, inflatable yard decorations humming into the early evening. “I’m sorry about being surprised earlier that you lived here. It’s just that you’re a young, single guy. I expected an apartment or bachelor pad condo.”
He shrugs, his forearms looking like the top feature in an arm porn ad as he pushes the stroller. “Being a firefighter, you have three 24 hour shifts a week, sometimes back to back. So you end up sleeping in the station bunks and living in close quarters with the other guys on shift. I wanted something that didn’t feel like an apartment, something that was mine, I guess.” He glances at me. “Make sense?”
“It does.” I stuff my hands in the back pockets of my jeans, enjoying the way his oversized, soft T-shirt feels against my skin. “I’m lucky, now that residency is over and I’m not running shifts at a hospital. For the most part, I have the average nine-to-five gig.”
“Except when you’re on shift at Mission Control, right?”
“Yeah.” I can’t help the big smile that overtakes my face. “It’s a dream job. I talk to astronauts in real time when I’m on MC shift, make sure they are exercising, assessing their diet and any other health problems. And on top of taking care of the general health of the astronauts in and out of space, I also train like one.”
“What do you mean?”
“I have to make sure that while the crew is in space they can handle any health challenges that come up. To do that, I need to feel what it’s like for them, as much as possible without actually going to space.”
“That is so cool.”
His genuine enthusiasm for my work makes me smile. A lot of men may think my job is impressive, but they aren’t so enthusiastic hearing me talk about it. Probably worried how it compares to what they do. “It really is cool,” I admit, happy not to have to downplay my job.
“Your parents must be proud.”
My gut clenches. “Uh, yeah. Sure.”
“You told me you were raised by your mom, but what about your dad?”
“He’s still in California, working in the tech field. I hear from him every once in a while.” And whatever co-ed he’s dating at the time.
“Next week I even get to go into the Neutral Buoyancy Lab and train for a spacewalk with Jules.” It isn’t the smoothest topic change, but it’s effective.
“What’s the Neutral Buoyancy Lab?”
“It’s where astronauts train for microgravity. It’s basically a huge swimming pool with a mockup of the International Space Station in it. We suit up just as you would to go on spacewalks and run through the different objectives needed for specific mission. The water acts as the closest thing to microgravity we can get on Earth. Jules and Bodie are scheduled to do ISS maintenance when they go up in a month.”
“Jules is the crazy lady, right?”
“Yes.” I laugh. “The crazy astronaut.”
We circle around the cul de sac at the end of his street, settling into a comfortable silence. It’s just after seven, twilight fading into night, the Christmas lights that much brighter.
“Do you want to be an astronaut?”
“No, not anymore.”
“You did? So what changed?”
“I don’t know.” I start to cross my arms over my chest but stop myself. “No, that’s a lie. I do know.” If Ryan thinks he wants to date me, he should know everything upfront. “I want kids. To get married. Have a family. Soon.”
Space Age- Houston, Prepare for Launch Page 4
